DENR holds 1st regional grazing management stakeholders forum

In its 1st Regional Grazing Management Stakeholders Forum, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 2 has eyed grazing areas potential for ensuring food security and climate change resiliency through a science-based grazing management approach.

 

“We initiated the conduct of this forum to help our government in its efforts to increase social and economic development and mitigate the impact of climate change,” said Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan of DENR as she appealed for active involvement of FLGMA holders and government agencies towards an improved grazing management in the region.

 

The forum with the theme, “Ensuring Food Security and Climate Change Resiliency through Science-Based Grazing Management” aims to expand the benefits of grazing areas not only to improve the environment ecological functions and services but also to increase the yield of raising cattle, meat supply and dairy products which are mostly dependent from a well-managed grazing lands.

 

"The Philippines is an agricultural country and yet we are importing goods and other services. Inasmuch as the DENR is concerned, we have to capacitate our FLGMA holders of what better way they can improve management of their cattle and other grazing animals to become healthier and more productive," the regional environment chief added.

 

As the DENR is now implementing a science-based and climate-proof management in all of its priority programs, an interagency effort will be in the forefront to extend technical assistance for the grazing land owners.

 

Through the summit, the ranchers were empowered to maintain their grazing areas teaching them with the new technologies and climate-resilient methods of raising their livestock more profitable.

 

Dr. Charles Lim, President of Isabela Cattle Raiser Multipurpose Cooperative who served as keynote speaker, shared his experiences and practices he gained from visiting ranches both in the region and abroad. “Cattle farming has a lot of challenges. There were times for business loss. I incurred high maintenance but gave me low profit in return because only the middle-class buyer earns more. Until I practice fattening method for our cattle so that we can sell them for higher price,” said Dr. Lim.

 

In his message during the ranch visit in San Pablo town, Gov. Rodito Albano III of Isabela supported for the unified collaboration of all FLGMA holders in the region recognizing the need to address food security and the capacity of ranchers in livestock production. "We established hectares of Napier plantation that yielded an increase in our cattle production," he said as he related best practices and success stories on grazing management.

 

Meanwhile, Provincial Administrator Maria Rosario Mamba-Villaflor who represented Gov. Manuel Mamba of Cagayan stressed to protect the forestlands to sustainably provide ample food supply and other livelihood opportunities.

 

In Region 2, there are 51 active FLGMA holders who have at least 4,584 cattle recorded in their respective grazing lands covering a total of 9,122.45 hectares, as of Sept. 12, this year.

 

In the forum, resource speakers discussed grazing lands interventions such as livestock meat supply and demand and food requirement in Region 2 by Regional Director Marilyn Estrada of Philippine Statistics Authority; cattle and forage production by Veterinarian Jake Casbalido of Quirino Experimental Station; animal movement for domestic and international cattle by Regional Veterinary Quarantine Officer Benjamin Ike Paguyo of Bureau of Animal Industry Veterinary Quarantine Services; and dairy products technology transfer by Executive Director Liza Battad of Philippine Carabao Center in Nueva Ecija.

Update on latest grazing management policies were explained by DENR Enforcement Division Chief Joel Daquioag and Corporate Industrial Forestry Section Chief Ina Karissa Tobias of the Forest Management Bureau. Also, practical livestock handling and rancher’s champion were presented by Clod Firme and Richard Tan, both ranch experts.

 

The forum was also graced by Assistant Regional Director Marcos Dacanay, Conservation and Division Chief Eric Pasion; Regional Director Narciso Edillo of the Department of Agriculture; Tuguegarao City Councilor Reynaldo Ortiz representing Mayor Maila Rosario Ting-Que; and Santiago City ENR Officer Mario De Guzman representing Mayor Alyssa Sheena Tan. It was spearheaded by the DENR Licenses, Patents and Deeds Division headed by Engr. Remedios Pauig.

 

The participants especially the grazing management holders greatly appreciated the forum and requested to regularly conduct this kind of activity and to have related presentation from financial institutions. With their support including the other partner-agencies and institutions, the creation of the regional ranchers association was planned.

 

They also envision Region 2 to be one of the successful cattle industries with improved, quality and high production of dairy products.

 

As agreed during the summit, development activities transforming the FLGMA operations into viable grazing enterprise will be formally tackled in the next interface as proposed bi-annual meeting be done soon after the ranchers association shall have been formalized.

 

The FLGMA is a production sharing agreement between a qualified person, association and/or corporation and the government to develop, manage and utilize grazing lands. It has a term for 25 years and renewable for another 25 years.#